Pontoise

Pontoise
A view of the cathedral of Saint-Maclou, from the Garden of Five Senses, on the promontory of the castle
Coat of arms
Location (in red) within Paris inner and outer suburbs
Coordinates: 49°03′06″N 2°06′06″E / 49.0516°N 02.1017°E / 49.0516; 02.1017Coordinates: 49°03′06″N 2°06′06″E / 49.0516°N 02.1017°E / 49.0516; 02.1017
Country	France
Region	Île-de-France
Department	Val-d'Oise
Arrondissement	Pontoise
Canton	Pontoise
Intercommunality	Cergy-Pontoise
Government
• Mayor (2001–2008)	Philippe Houillon
Area1	7.15 km2 (2.76 sq mi)
Population (2011)2	29,885
• Density	4,200/km2 (11,000/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
INSEE/Postal code	95500 / 95300
Elevation	22–87 m (72–285 ft) (avg. 27 m or 89 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. 2Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Pontoise (French pronunciation: ​[pɔ̃twɑz]) is a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located 28.4 km (17.6 mi) from the centre of Paris, in the "new town" of Cergy-Pontoise.

Pontoise is the official préfecture (capital) of the Val-d'Oise département, although in reality the préfecture building and administration, as well as the department council (conseil général), are located inside the neighboring commune of Cergy, which is regarded as the de facto capital of Val-d'Oise.

Pontoise is also the seat of the Arrondissement of Pontoise. The sous-préfecture building and administration, unlike the préfecture, are located inside the commune of Pontoise.

Known as being a violent city in the past, with a criminal rate of 137.62 incidents per 1000 inhabitants, Cergy-Pontoise has experienced a significant decrease of violence in recent years. By 2008 the rate had declined to 99.87, although this is still considered high.

Pontoise is the historical capital of the Vexin français. Its foundation dates from Roman times (Pontisara). At that time, the rock peak overhanging the river Oise supported the defense of the ford which was on the Roman road, the Chaussée Jules César, between Lutetia (Paris) and Rotomagus (Rouen). The road still exists and is now part of the N14 from Paris to Rouen. It is also known to many people as the birthplace of the alchemist Nicholas Flamel. With an over 2,000 year patrimonium, Pontoise still has vestige of the past, of which medieval lanes,convents, churches and museums, and was awarded the "City of Art and History Label" in 2006. The impressionnist painter Camille Pissarro made it famous through many paintings which are present nowadays in the most famous art galleries in the world.